Chaz Davies claims World Superbikes victory in Jerez
Saturday 15 October 2016 13:38, UK
Ducati's Chaz Davies continued his impressive season with a comfortable win in race one of the latest World Superbikes round in Jerez.
The 29-year-old Welshman started on the second row of the grid but soon hit the front and never looked back to secure his eighth win of the year in an entertaining race in south Spain.
Davide Guigliano and Xavi Fores came together on the first corner of lap two, ending their race, while Yamaha's Alex Lowes crashed out a lap later to end his afternoon before the rest of the field settled into the race.
But 20-lap race belonged to Davies, who went on to finish over three seconds ahead of Sykes, who broke the lap record to secure pole earlier in the day, with championship leader Jonathan Rea finishing third to edge his way towards a second successive World Superbikes title.
Rea sits on 442 points at the top of the leaderboard with Sykes 44 points behind and only 75 still available in the season, meaning he could clinch the crown in race two on Sunday.
American Nicky Hayden finished in fourth place, just pipping Honda team-mate Michael van der Mark. Frenchman Sylvain Guintoli completed the top six on the Yamaha while MV Agusta's Leon Camier placed in seventh.
Sykes' second-placed finish also confirmed Kawasaki as winners of the Manufacturers' Championship for the second year in a row.
